Factors such as aviation safety and public investment and the financing model will be at the heart of the decision on the new airport., as defined by the independent technical commission. The Civil Terminal of Beja is out of the options.
From aviation safety to public investment and financing model, the Independent Technical Commission (CTI) which will propose the location of the new Lisbon airport has already defined the five critical factors for the decision that will have to be taken on this infrastructure. Accessibility, human health and connectivity and economic development are other factors identified in the report to which the ECO had access.
The commission led by Rosário Partidário carried out the analysis, complemented by a workshop day focus 21 June, “which made it possible to confirm the main aspects and priorities identified by the CTI”. New aspects were incorporated and thus finalized the Strategic Assessment Framework, with the evaluation criteria and indicators.
The identified factors are “critical issues for the decision”, “These are not exclusively environmental or social issues, nor do they claim to exhaustively describe the existing situation.”. They will thus be “used in the evaluation as success factors, drawing attention to a few, but very relevant aspects that can determine the success of the decision by revealing risks or opportunities of that decision for the environment and sustainability”.
It is in light of the critical factors that the Strategic Environmental Assessment will select the best solution for reinforcing airport capacity in the Lisbon region, fulfilling the mandate given to it by the Government.
The options are: Portela + Montijo, Montijo + Portela, Alcochete shooting range, Portela + Alcochete shooting range, Santarém, Portela + Santarém, Pegões, Portela + Pegões and Rio Frio + Poceirão.
The analysis grid will also help to answer the three strategic questions identified: How to increase airport capacity in the Lisbon Region, and whether in dual or single model? How to evolve into a hub intercontinental? It will be necessary to deactivate, or not, Humberto Delgado airport?
The five critical decision factors: aeronautical security, accessibility and territory, affected population, biodiversity, natural resources and risks, connectivity and economic development and
public investment and financing model.
The independent technical commission must deliver the Strategic Environmental Assessment report by the end of the year. The Minister of Infrastructure, John Galamba, wants to make a final decision on the new airport in the first half of 2024.
